Designing, Finding, Writing, and Receiving Grants that Fund your Projects (original author, Rebecca Lucas - revised by Karen Urgitis/NPS on June 23, 2009)
Introduction (5 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
Public school teaching is a calling for many of us. We are passionate about the job we do in the classroom and about the students we serve. If there is one overwhelming shared frustration, it might be the lack of local and state funding to complete the projects about which we can only dream. Perhaps you dream of a tree house reading nook for first graders, a gardening project for middle schoolers that yields produce for the local food bank, or modern technology tools for the classroom to enhance teaching/learning. This WebQuest is designed to introduce classroom teachers to the world of grant writing.
Task (5 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
Your task for this WebQuest is to work as a member of a team to develop a grant proposal outline for a specific classroom or school need. You will use the web-based resources provided to develop the grant proposal outline. The outline should be completed as a team after each team member has completed his/her research component of the process.
Process (20 minutes: Each member of the team)
Download the Grant Research Worksheet - complete sections working with your team or individually, as indicated. Step 1: Define and assess a specific need. Can you identify a multidisciplinary project that enhances classroom instruction? How could this project benefit your learners or the community?
Step 2: Develop a strategy. Based on the identified need, develop a plan to implement the project that will address the need. Are there innovative programs being used to address this need that you would like to try? What can you learn from other programs that address the identified need?
In the process of developing this strategy, divide the following web sites to research, answering the questions on the attached worksheet.
Step 3: Search possible funding sources.
It's always tough to find sources for funding. Hopefully these links will help make it easier. Divide the links among your team members, each member of the team conducting his/her own research.
The Foundation Center
Find out about a foundation's giving guidelines, about recent changes at foundations in their region, or about grants in specific areas of interest. http://fdncenter.org/
National Science Foundation Program Areas and Deadlines, NSF Bulletins, Proposal Preparation and Award Administration Information (Grant Proposal Guide, Grant Policy Manual, Grant Proposal Forms), Guide to Programs http://www.nsf.gov/funding/
If you developed an idea for a project, wrote a grant proposal, and have successfully submitted the proposal, your task is complete. Celebrate your accomplishment and wait to hear from the grant maker.
Conclusion (10 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
You have completed your first grant proposal. Congratulations! The grant making world is large and intimidating. If your proposal is rejected, consider the feedback given and rewrite your proposal for a different funder. Becoming a skilled, successful grant writer takes hard work, diligence, and perseverance. A worthy project that deserves funding will be funded when you find the right source. Don’t give up after being rejected. Grant writing is an acquired skill. The more practice you have, the better you will become. The secret to being a successful grant writer is never giving up.
Educational Grant Writing
Designing, Finding, Writing, and Receiving Grants that Fund your Projects (original author, Rebecca Lucas - revised by Karen Urgitis/NPS on June 23, 2009)
Introduction (5 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
Public school teaching is a calling for many of us. We are passionate about the job we do in the classroom and about the students we serve. If there is one overwhelming shared frustration, it might be the lack of local and state funding to complete the projects about which we can only dream. Perhaps you dream of a tree house reading nook for first graders, a gardening project for middle schoolers that yields produce for the local food bank, or modern technology tools for the classroom to enhance teaching/learning. This WebQuest is designed to introduce classroom teachers to the world of grant writing.
Task (5 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
Your task for this WebQuest is to work as a member of a team to develop a grant proposal outline for a specific classroom or school need. You will use the web-based resources provided to develop the grant proposal outline. The outline should be completed as a team after each team member has completed his/her research component of the process.
Process (20 minutes: Each member of the team)
Download the Grant Research Worksheet - complete sections working with your team or individually, as indicated.Step 1: Define and assess a specific need. Can you identify a multidisciplinary project that enhances classroom instruction? How could this project benefit your learners or the community?
Step 2: Develop a strategy. Based on the identified need, develop a plan to implement the project that will address the need. Are there innovative programs being used to address this need that you would like to try? What can you learn from other programs that address the identified need?
In the process of developing this strategy, divide the following web sites to research, answering the questions on the attached worksheet.
Step 3: Search possible funding sources.
It's always tough to find sources for funding. Hopefully these links will help make it easier. Divide the links among your team members, each member of the team conducting his/her own research.
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
http://www.sloan.org/
AT&T Foundation
Funds projects that explore the role of technology in education and its ability to connect students, teachers, classrooms, and institutions.
http://www.att.com/gen/corporate-citizenship?pid=7736
Challenge Grants for Technology in Education
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/technology/edgrants.html
Charles A. Dana Foundation
http://www.dana.org/
Department of Health and Human Services GrantsNet Web
http://www.os.dhhs.gov/
Educational Funding Strategies Consultants to educational and other non-profit organizations.
http://www.icu.com/efs/home.htm
Federal Register
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html
The Foundation Center
Find out about a foundation's giving guidelines, about recent changes at foundations in their region, or about grants in specific areas of interest.
http://fdncenter.org/
Fulbright Scholar Program
http://www.iie.org/cies/
Grants and Contests Search at Technology & Learning Online
http://www.techlearning.com/
The Grantsmanship Center
Grant information and grantsmanship training.
http://www.tgci.com/
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Home Page
http://www.gf.org/
Money Matters From The US Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/funding.html
National Science Foundation Program Areas and Deadlines, NSF Bulletins, Proposal Preparation and Award Administration Information (Grant Proposal Guide, Grant Policy Manual, Grant Proposal Forms), Guide to Programs
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/
NCSS Online National Council for the Social Studies.
http://www.ncss.org
K-12 School Grant Opportunities One stop site for K-12 grant opportunities.
http://k12grants.org/grant_opps.htm
Process (10 minutes: Team collaboration)
Step 4: Prepare the grant proposal.
Use the resources below to prepare the proposal outline.
Basic Elements of Grant Writing - from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting
http://www.cpb.org/grants/grantwriting.html
Elements of a Grant Proposal - from The Paladin Group
http://www.silcom.com/~paladin/promaster.html
A Proposal Writing Short Course - from The Foundation Center
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/shortcourse/index.html
Proposals Pointers and Pitfalls - by Deborah Kluge, Proposalwriter.com
http://www.proposalwriter.com/pointers.html
Researching and Writing a Teaching Development Grant Application by John Milton
http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/june96/milto1.htm
Writing a Successful Grant Proposal - Minnesota Council on Foundations
http://www.grantproposal.com/funders.html
Step 5: Submit the final proposal.
Evaluation (10 minutes: Sharing)
If you developed an idea for a project, wrote a grant proposal, and have successfully submitted the proposal, your task is complete. Celebrate your accomplishment and wait to hear from the grant maker.
Conclusion (10 minutes: Grant Writing Facilitator)
You have completed your first grant proposal. Congratulations! The grant making world is large and intimidating. If your proposal is rejected, consider the feedback given and rewrite your proposal for a different funder. Becoming a skilled, successful grant writer takes hard work, diligence, and perseverance. A worthy project that deserves funding will be funded when you find the right source. Don’t give up after being rejected. Grant writing is an acquired skill. The more practice you have, the better you will become. The secret to being a successful grant writer is never giving up.
Good Luck!!